Options range from sustainable soft surface to widened dual surface or bridge and trail connection to the ABC

(Aspen, CO) The public is invited to join Open Space and Trails planners for a bike tour of the options for completing the Rio Grande trail into Aspen. The final four miles of the 42-mile-long trail is the only unpaved section in the entire 42-mile-long Rio Grande Trail corridor. Options include everything from improving the soft surface and adding bicycle climbing lanes on McLain Flats Road to significantly widening and paving the trail to accommodate a hard and soft surface or “dual surface.”

“There are actually five different alternatives under consideration,” said Pitkin County Open Space and Trails Recreation Planner, Lindsey Utter. “One of the best ways to understand what’s involved in making improvements to the Rio Grande is to join us on the bicycle site visit,” Utter said.

Bicycle site visits are scheduled for Tuesday, August 28th from 5:30 to 7:30 pm and Tuesday, September 11th from 5:30 to7:30 pm. RSVP is required by calling 920-5232.

If you can’t make the bicycle trip, there will be at least two more opportunities to review the options at Open House events on Tuesday, August 21st from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Snowmass Town Council Chambers and on Wednesday, September 12th from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at Colorado Mountain College in Aspen. There is also detailed information, maps and simulated drawings of the trail options online at www.pitkincountyRGT.org.

“After the public familiarizes itself with the options for the Rio Grande Trail we hope they’ll take a short survey online to tell us which option, or combination of options they prefer,” Utter said. “Our hope is to collect enough public feedback to move forward with the engineering phase of the project and break ground some time in 2014.”